The hands of Rome
by bushy123
Summary: The story of young Ron stoppables rise to glory through blood and turmoil. Bonds and secrets, forged and tempered in battle. Honour upheld at the edge of a sword or upon the tip of a spear. For the glory of the empire! R&R, first timer.
1. Pleased to meet you, now stop killing me

The hands of Rome

Left, right, left, right, left, right…

The continuous thumping like the heart beat of a colossal creature had lulled a blonde headed, freckled legionnaire into a catatonic state as he marched along to the joyless tune.

Small dust mites snuck up the young mans nose and tickled the sensitive membranes inside his nostrils and brought about the usual affect of a humongous sneeze that echoed around the mountain side the army was marching close to.

"STOPPABLE!" 'by the gods why is it always him?' the legionnaire groaned inwardly as a shadow reached out and plucked him from the ranks and pulled him out of the way of the other soldiers "did I give you permission to sneeze?" the veteran soldier and commanding officer of Ron stoppable cohort bellowed at the young man as he sweated in the heat, the dust that had caused this problem clung to his sweat covered body mockingly watching the drama unfold.

"no you didn't sorry" Ron smiled his goofy grin and scratched the back of his head with his free arm "just the dust made me a bit sneezy"

"It made you?…" commander barking scar matted but clean shaven face changed several colours in half as many seconds then he unleashed a torrent of curses and foul language that made the passing soldiers turn their heads in awe at the imagination that must have gone into the creation of such volatile words.

"have you forgotten all of my training boy!" he yelled shaking his spear at the blonde boy

"no commander Barkin, I have not sir!" Ron's back straightened as he replied. Years of training overwhelming his carefree personality.

"good" the commanders voice evened out "it would be a shame if you put a black mark on your families name by failing in Rome's imperial army"

Ron visibly stiffened at the mention of his family and commander nearly smirked at the steely glint that appeared in the boys eyes.

"use it boy" he told Ron tersely "now get back into formation!" Barkin ordered Ron pounded his fist on his large rectangular shield then padded off to catch up with his cohort.

"run foul of the big B again did you?" brown haired and blue eyed cavalry man Felix Renton asked Ron quizzically, as his friend meandered over to where he was brushing down his bay mare, his saddle and tack sat on a post near by waiting to be attended to.

"You heard that did you?" Ron asked slumping down next to the saddle and tack.

"The entire army heard that my friend, I think they even heard that old boot chewing on you then spitting you out in Rome"

Ron put his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands "am I really that much of a failure? How in the heck can a make a name for myself when I cant even march properly?"

The mare tossed her head in Ron's direction and whinnied.

"Monique's right marching and guard duty have nothing to do with earning a name for yourself its what you do on the battle field that brings the glory and fame"

Ron raised an eye brow "you got all that from a horse"

"Hey she knows what she's talking about, all you have to do is learn the language. I call it Monique speak"

Ron chuckled and shook his head "who knows maybe later on in the future there will be a chocolate coloured woman that offers advice as good as yours girl" Ron patted Monique's flank, She snorted.

"Not likely" Felix translated .

Later on that night Ron and Felix sat around a small fire nursing large bowls of a pale stew. With the two sat three other young men, the tallest and the largest of the group was Brick Flagg a sandy haired farmers son who had found appreciation in Rome's army, for his height and broad shoulders offered a very opposing sight upon the field of battle.

His immense size proved too troublesome in the packed ranks of the cohorts, with his standard size shield that was supposed to be just over the height of a man but it may as well have been a buckler for all the protection it would have offered him in a shield wall he would have had his legs hacked out from beneath him. So the young man retained the shield but was also gifted his a stone masons hammer and sent to battle alongside the gladiators men who had been given the opportunity to repent in death.

The next man was a tall, well muscled, dark skinned African man whom had been fathered to a roman soldier while Rome had been extending their reach around the world.

His mother had died in child birth and the roman was compelled to take the boy and raise him as any roman born son should be, on the march. Thus hardening the boy to fear and propelling him to near fanatical views of Rome and its cause. This man was Wade load. A man who could pluck a single strand of hair off a mans head with a bow.

The last young man who gazed around at everything with an arrogant air of self confidence that only a pampered politicians son could possess was Josh Mankey, his sharp and angular face and jet black hair added to his charming personality seemed to leave even the most devout priestesses and wives craving his half lidded gaze, not to mention that his position in Rome's social structure had made him a shoe in for Decanus (sergeant) in the same cohort that Ron served in.

The men lounged around the fire trading tales of their triumphs with the fairer sex and telling of their yearning for home.

"I hear these Gaul's are just blood crazed men fighting in for the very sake of opposing the pope and Rome" Ron commented when the conversation turned to their destination and the opposition that would be waiting.

"one could say that but they are also fighting for their freedom and liberty" josh told Ron, his position of power left him unafraid to say anything he wanted.

"they reject Rome, so they reject peace and their right to live" Wade commented vehemently tossing a large log onto the fire and watched the flames lick up its sides then finally begin to engulf it.

"could you really blame them for rejecting a super power that is the complete opposite to what you believe in?"

Ron chose this moment to zone out of the conversation, Josh and Wade could argue for hours when they became enthralled in this sort of conversation, and a movement made his ears prick up.

Ron excused himself from the group and wandered off in the direction the noise had come from.

Being the youngest men in the army and as such the lowest in rank and experience the boys had been forced to pitch their tents on the very out skirts of the army's camp that was situated next to a river, all the men had already bathed and washed off all the dust and grime that they had collected marching across the country.

The odd noise had come from a secluded part of the river where trees that's limbs hung over the water like lonely poets. As quietly as Ron could manage he moved up to the trees and as he grew closer a soft voice reached his ears and the light splashing of water.

'weird, that almost sounds like a woman' Ron mused as he approached.

Beside a large tree trunk there was infantry armour and the badge of Ronald's own cohort "ahoy their friend!" Ron laughed and leapt through the overhanging branches and splashed merrily in the moonlit water until his eyes found the figure standing in the centre of the water waist deep and Ron realised that the figure was not a man at all.

"oh shit! Sorry miss, I didn't know!" before Ron could turn to flee a auburn streak flew at him and he suddenly found himself under the water.

The water was beaten to a foam as Ron flailed around trying to gain a grip upon anything, luckily for the young man one of his legs hooked about the flame haired harpies legs knocking her over.

Ron dragged himself onto the bank, coughing and spluttering half expecting to feel the woman's talons carve into the flesh of his back but no attack ever came. In his confusion Ron looked back behind him and saw nothing but calm water.

Ron regained his feet and searched for the female attacker but no trace of her could be found until Ron looked down stream and saw a body floating down the river straight for the rapids and the water fall after that.

"oh god no!" Ron cried out and with the same breath leapt into the water and powered to the floating woman.

Ron reached the woman and pulled her to him while holding her head above the water just as they came to the rapids. For a brief second Ron raised his eyes to the heavens 'what did I ever do to you?' he thought as he and the naked woman were sucked into the swirling foam.

It seemed to Ron that there was no rock in that watery hell that he did not get dashed against though the main reason for that was that he turned his body towards every hazard as he and the woman approached so that she was not harmed in the moist melee.

Ron pushed the nude redhead up onto the muddy bank careful not to touch or look at any part of her that would usually be covered. He dragged himself up after her his legs and arms shaking from exhaustion. Ron collapsed face first into the soft mud next to the woman his breathing causing small bubbles in the mud.

Ron felt two cold legs press against each side of his rib cage and a soft caressing hand snake its way into Ron's fair hair toying with his comical cowlick gently until the grip tightened and his head was pulled forcefully back and out of the mud right back until he saw two green orbs framed by swirling fire.

Ron shook his head slightly as much as the grip would allow and his vision cleared to show the woman dishevelled and wet staring down at him with wary and confused eyes.

"fine you wanna kill me then fine, just be quick about it I'm tired and sore and could use a break" Ron grunted angrily but moved his head Weakly, his bark he knew at that point in time was only a little worse than his bite.

The woman's eyes darkened and with a heave she rolled Ron over so that she straddled his chest instead of his back and Ron did not run the risk of drowning in the mud.

Her slender hand pressed lightly down on his throat, her eyes giving away her reluctance to kill her hapless rescuer. Ron continued to stare up at her only now in the full moon light and out of life threatening situations did he realise how remarkably beautiful this Harpy was. The fullness of her lip, her angular face 'like a cats…no' he thought 'like a lionesses', the smoothness of her skin now upon his own, the curvature of her hips and breasts…

His eyes wandered over her body marvelling at her until she slapped him roughly across the face jerking his head across so fast it made his neck crack.

"owwww" he whined "why must everything you do have to hurt me? I apologise for staring miss or sir or what ever you are" 'definitely a miss' a little voice spoke up from the back of Ron's collar. The seemingly granite nerved female leapt back with a small yelp as a small pink blur leapt into view and sank its small teeth into her slender hand.

The pink naked mole-rat leapt onto Ron's mud covered chest jittering angrily, beating his two front teeth and hissing.

"Rufus, what have I told you about biting? But thanks for saving me from warrior goddess over there" Ron patted his pink companion on his bald head then locked eyes with the redhead standing perfectly still staring dumbly at the pink rodent.

Rufus leapt upon Ron's shoulder as he slowly dragged himself from the sucking mud keeping his eyes locked on the red haired vixens face, carefully gauging if she was about to fly off the handle and beat his sorry legionnaire ass again.

When Ron was finally back on his feet he slowly reached around himself and gripped his muddy and soaked cloak, thick sheep wool, a parting present from his family it pained him how much he knew it had cost them. Dear little Rufus already knowing his masters mind, had undone the knot holding the cloak at Ron's throat.

Painfully slowly Ron dragged the cloak in front of him, off his shoulders and held it out to the woman who moments before had tried to kill him and then proceeded to cause him to be half drowned and beaten against rocks like undergarments on washing day. Yet here the young man stood, dripping wet and bleeding holding out the only thing his family had ever given him willingly.

"you'll catch a cold if your not careful miss" Ron smiled his goofy grin as Rufus nodded his head while he covered his eyes with his little paws.

Like a tentative wild animal the woman reached out slowly eyes darting from Ron's chocolate brown eyes to the muddied cloak in his hand.

Their fingers touched briefly as she gripped the cloak. Her long slender finger tips brushing against his own dirty and calloused by weapon drills and cultivation but also covered in scars. The woman shuddered as she wrapped the cloak around her firm body covering her entire body.

Ron reached forward again as the woman's attention was to the relative warmth and protection of the cloak "her miss" his hand reached over her shoulder to the cloaks hood and flicked it up over her head not realising that the hood was filled with mud.

Ron retracted his hand and cowered slightly as the hood spilled mud all over the females head and face. The effect was so complete that only two green orbs could be seen blinking in shock at him, that shock quickly turned to anger and soon not only were eyes visible but white teeth, white teeth bared in rage.

Ron let out a extremely unmanly squeal as the mud covered red head took a step towards him but froze in horror as light washed over the two of them.

'what are you two doing down there?' a gruff voice called down from higher up the bank, a sentry holding a burning brand aloft looked down at them his greying eyebrows raised.

'nothing friend just a mishap that got my friend and I washed down the river care to lend a hand? These thrice damned banks are too steep for even the worlds greatest soldiers to climb' Ron grinned up at the fellow roman.

The grey haired man chuckled and lowered the tip of his spear down for Ron to grip and pull himself up with, the covered red head followed after a moments hesitation.

Ron laughed nervously and slapped the other man on the back "many thanks my friend god knows how long we would have been stuck down there freezing had you not come along"

The grizzled veteran stood a little straighter "well I wouldn't have left my post at all if I hadn't heard something that sounded like a little girl screaming from down there. I take it you were the cause of that?" the corners of the mans grey beard twitched in amusement as Ron rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment "its alright lad I was young once two now get along before old iron hide come along"

As if on cue a booming voice echoes around the camp "STOPPABLE!" the thundering footsteps of the centurion drew closer to their current position.

"give me a break will you" Ron groaned staring up at the clouds until centurion Barkin was a bare foot away from his own face spraying him with spittle as he berated him with out stop.

Centurions are the leaders of the general century comprised of eighty men, they are battle hardened veterans and also known for a high mortality rate as they were prone to sacrificing their own safety for that of their men as they fight in the front line. Barkin it seems was an acceptation to the mortality rate and had flat out refused promotion into first cohort (higher paid veterans) many times over standing by his words that they were 'old men too lazy to fight and bleed in the front lines'.

"…WITH A FROG AND A PIG!" Ron had, like every other time centurion Barkin verbally abused him, slipped off to his 'happy place' where no one abused him and tired to drown him and his family was not nearly destitute.

"yes centurion Barkin SIR!" Ron took the pause in the rant that he was finished and could go back to being a happy soldier and dig the latrine that he no doubt had just been ordered to dig some where amidst the insults spewed from the centurions mouth.

"and what where you doing down there with him boy?" Barkin directed his rage at the still cloak shrouded woman that was assumed to be a male soldier for all intents and purposes.

"you two down there doing it Greek style were you? I wont have soldiers in my century taking it from the rear flank understood? Look at me while I am belittling you boy"

Barkin gripped her chin and lifted it up to see the face covered in mud and sticks the eyes still shone their fierce emerald. "what were you doing down there?" Barkins eyes flicked to Ron once more until the woman/boy stepped forward and landed a swift uppercut to Rons jaw causing his head to snap back and send him toppling down the muddy embankment once more.

A strange thing happened after that, Barkin's booming laughter rang out and for some reason that filled the listening soldiers (the entire camp) with fear, they knew how to handle a angry centurion but a happy one was unheard of.

Mud was flung forward from the woman's face as Barkin slapped her hard across the back as he continued to laugh "I like your style boy, don't lose that fiery spirit" with that Barkin turned on his heel and his beady eyes found the helpful sentry and then the bellowing started up once more as he pursued the fleeing sentry back to his guard position screaming abuse and threats the entire way.

Ron groaned as he was hauled back up the embankment once more then dumped onto the soft grass face down, the scent of it filling his nostrils and soothing his acing jaw slightly. By all accounts the young man had a hell of a night. And as two hands encircled his wrists and began dragging him away, he realised it was not over yet.


	2. first bloodFIRST BLOOD!

**First blood…FIRST BLOOD!**

Dirt and grass filled Ron Stoppable's mouth as he was dragged like a sack of grain across the ground to god knows where but at that present moment Ron could care less. He was far too tired and sore to struggle despite the mantra of the Roman legions of never yielding.

'This isn't yielding' he mused to himself 'this is simply biding my time until the perfect moment in which to strike'

He yelped pitifully as he was dragged over a rather pointed stone 'which at present could be in two to three days' another stone 'ok, ok a week'.

The painful journey suddenly came to a halt with Ron's wrists being released allowing him to fall face down into the grass. A moment passed with no movement or sound from the incognito female "if your waiting for me to leap to my feet to do battle with you once more" Ron spoke into the earth raising an arm and pointing his index finger upward "one moment" more than a moment passed "nah forget about it" his arm fell back to the ground.

A small giggle escaped the lips of his captor.

"good god, she is human" Ron muttered in relief right before he was rolled onto his back once more and felt the weight of the woman on his chest. Ron exhaled slowly before opening his eyes and finding a slightly curved daggers tip far too close than he was comfortable with, to his eye. The woman now was clad in long breaches, used to cover a soldiers legs and keep him slightly warmer in his armour on cold nights in the field and the chest, shoulder armour and helmet of the legion, the red plumes of feathers atop the helmet a shade lighter than that of her hair and the cheek guards of the helmet obscured most of her face giving her the look of a very young man, not very far into adult hood or nearing the end of teenage years. All in all a convincing disguise.

There was a hard etch to her features but as she glared down at Ron it softened considerably "you saved me from drowning" she whispered and struck Ron how musical it seemed.

Ron dared only nod his head slightly in affirmation despite her simply stating a fact, not posing a query.

The blade retracted a little away from Ron's eye. The woman's free hand gently probed a large lump upon Ron's fore head causing him to wince and squeak in pain.

"its not that bad" the woman muttered as she ended her ministrations "you will live".

Ron smiled up at her "is that good news or bad news coming from the lady with a dagger in your face?"

This seemed to shock the auburn haired woman slightly. She stared at the dagger in her hand as if it was a disgusting insect of some type. Slowly she tipped her hand and allowed the fine weapon to fall to the ground point down but also very close to Ron's ribs, who had been struggling to shift his body to avoid the falling blade.

"it is almost like you will not be happy until you have maimed and killed me, my lady" Ron joked as a bead of sweat ran down his cheek.

Her eyes locked with Ron's once more but this time they were soft, no sign of the hardness that was there moments ago "it has been a very long time since I've been called a lady" she smiled down at Ron.

Ron smiled back up at the woman pinning him down on the ground while he had a stone lodged between his shoulder blades "now would you mind letting me up, my lady?".

The woman tensed atop of him causing Ron to fear he had insulted her or broken the friendliness between the two. To his shock, the woman flipped backwards spinning in the air, in full armour none the less to land gracefully on her feet a few feet away leaving Ron laying upon the ground staring mouth agape at the woman.

"I was right, you must be part mountain lion" he finally said while scrambling to his feet.

She waved her hand as if dismissing the compliment "it is no big, I was taught by my grandmother all aspects of battle since I was a young girl" she eyed Ron warily as he bent down and pulled the discarded dagger from the ground. She relaxed visibly when he flicked it into the air with a quick wrist movement and caught it again presenting it to her hilt first.

"you don't say? I learnt all I know from the army or from being beaten up by other boys as a child. My name is Ronald Dean of the Stoppable family, by the way, soldier in the great army of Rome" Ron slammed his clenched fist across his chest in a standard salute.

The woman did the same, bashing her fist against her chest smiling slightly "Ave, Ronald. I am Kimberly Anne of the possible family residing in Rome. Stoppable? That sounds familiar have we met in Rome before now? Perhaps at a feast for the senate? My father is a part of the great senate".

Ron paled slightly at mention of the senate, although his reaction went on unnoticed by Kim.

"no I believe I would have remembered you had we met before Kimberly" Ron stared at the ground while kicking at the stone that had bruised his back.

"please call me Kim" she smiled at him once more, the more she smiled the more Ron found himself liking her smile. What Ron did not like at all was how quickly her eyes hardened and her dagger was once again at his throat.

"what now? You are a moody one aren't you?" Ron gulped

A spark of rage flashed across kims face and she removed the blade, placing its razor sharp edge close to Ron's crotch.

"I'm sorry!" he wailed as every red blooded man would in his present situation, one twist of her wrist and Ron would voice would also take on a musical quality.

"you have to swear to keep my secret, I have worked far too hard to get where I am to have you send it to shit for me. I will not have my family shamed because of you. Now swear to hold my secret until the day of your death, swear it!"

"I swear"

Becoming a eunuch was not upon Ronald Deans Stoppable's list of things to accomplish in life.

"for the future children I am to father, I swear to uphold your secret, Kimberly of the possible family. No threat or pain will cause me to divulge your secret, even to god himself I will stay mute. I swear"

Kim did not move as Ron gently took her wrist and wrapped his larger hand around the hilt of the dagger over hers and run the tip of the dagger down his fore arm opening the flesh and spilling droplets of his blood.

"I swear on this blood to protect you and your secret for as long as I exist in this earth or the next" a strange feeling tingled all over Ron's body as Kim copied his actions with the dagger and they pressed their self inflicted wounds together, their blood mingling and dripping to the earth. Chocolate brown eyes locked with emerald as Ron repeated once more.

"I swear it"

Thunder rumbled over head moments after Ron spoke those finalising words causing the two to look around as if breaking from a trance.

Mother nature saved their lives.

A streak of lightning flashed down to earth striking a dead tree a hundred yards away from the two soldiers completely destroying the tree and catching those close to it alight.

Cries of alarm and also screams of pain came from the same position of the tree line and several figures rushed away from the tree staring at the carnage the act of nature had wrought upon the tree.

Kim and Ron gazed in shock at the tree then their attention turned to the men who had fled from the tree line. The tree line had been hacked back by the army to provide fire wood and also a expanse of barren earth littered with tree stumps so as to prevent attackers from advancing upon their position unseen, it appeared they had been laying in wait just beyond the tree line.

Waiting was no longer an option.

The men quickly drew swords or brandished other weapons after over coming their shock and cursing their stupidity of being forced out of cover by fear, then lead the charge toward the Roman camp while others revealed themselves from the forests bellowing war cries.

"ALARM!" Ron bellowed, drawing his gladius from its sheath at his hip taking pleasure from the familiar feeling of the leather bound hilt against his palm.

"Rufus warn the men" Ron commanded in a voice filled with newly found strength and authority.

The naked mole rat slapped his chest with a little paw and sped off towards the camp squealing like a stuck pig.

"Ron!" Kim quickly threw her own gladius to Ron while hefting her scutum with her right arm and gripping two short pilum javelins in her other hand, her arm was cocked back over her shoulder ready to hurl the twin bolts of death at the charging men. There seemed to be hundreds spewing froth from the under growth that was supposedly clear of hostiles.

The two soldiers stood abreast each other both ready for blood shed, but not yet.

The attackers leapt over jutting stumps, a few stumbled as their feet were snared by roots they did not see in their haste to close with the enemy and commence slaughtering their unprepared prey.

Still not yet.

The gap between the two Romans and the charging horde was quickly slimming. Both faces were grim as they continued waiting. The swirling tattoos of the barbarians assaulting them became clearer as seconds passed.

Almost.

The first group of around a dozen hulking warriors who had been forced from hiding by the lightning were no more than thirty feet away from the pair.

NOW!

With a guttural scream Kim hurled the two javelin in the same instant that Ron burst forward, one Gladius held in a backwards facing grip as he let loose his own war cry, both young people breaking the roman battle ideal of silence and order. Neither of those ideals ever withstood contact with the enemy.

The javelins flew straight and true despite the hurling of two such spears being an unorthodox strategy, pilum were used to not only throw one at a time at the enemy to thin their ranks but could also be used in close contact to jab at the enemy over the tops of a soldiers sutum as a variation of a shield wall/phalanx formation, but seeing as Ron was not only unarmoured, did not have his own shield and also given the fact there was just two of them facing a horde that tactic would be of no use at all. The two flying spears both found victims. One pierced the chest of a leaping barbarian throwing him backwards mid flight. The other sank into a huge warriors foreleg, the soft steel bending and impeding his movement just as it was designed.

Now Kim rushed forward herself pulling a longer, stronger and with better quality steel made pilum from the ground beside her just as Ron crashed into the front line of soldiers.

The first warrior Ron made contact with swung a long sword in a wide arc hoping to decapitate the blonde man and would have succeeded had Ron not lent his torso back as he ran, ducking beneath the mans arm and using his forward momentum to slice deep into the mans gut. Continuing his charge Ron spun, ripping his gladius from the dying mans stomach whirling quickly and pushing kims sword into another mans throat, causing his war cry to die with a gurgle.

Three more men died and a half dozen more fell wounded in a whirling flash of steel as Ron drove forward into their ranks screaming unintelligibly hacking and slashing and stabbing into any that came close to his blades.

Not to be out done in anyway, Kim slammed her shield into the first man she came into contact with shattering his nose. The man stepped back wards dropping his guard as tears streamed from his eyes and mixed with the blood flowing from his nose, this was a natural reaction from any man and is how the scutum was designed to be used, unluckily for the man it is also a fatal reaction as kims spear drove into his eye socket.

Kim quickly spun around the dead man stuck upon the tip of her spear and kicked a screaming assailant in his head as he charged at her dropping him like a stone. Using the edge of the sputum, Kim pushed the dead man off the tip of her spear.

Another screaming barbarian died by kims hands as he had his head turned to pulp when kim slammed the iron shor rim of her shield into his tattooed face.

Blood and brains splattered over her face as she continued to kill in amazing displays of grace and skill with a spear even after her scutum was shattered by a arm numbing blow from a crude mace that threw Kim off her feet.

Kim gripped the spear with two hands and used it like a Bo staff attacking with the sharp iron end and also with the heavy wooden end, ending two more lives. Kim sensed more than saw the enemy behind her, too slow she turned to face it and was back handed off her feet landing on her back dazed.

A massive boot connected to a heavily muscled leg slammed into her face as Kim tried to push herself up from the ground, splitting her lip and denting her helmet. An unseen force gripped the top of Kim's helmet and squeezed, buckling the iron around her head painfully causing Kim to cry out in pain and scrabble for the strap at her chin until it was torn from her head.

Wicked laughter rumbled from above Kim as her long auburn hair fell down her shoulders and the stomach churning sound of the monster above her licking its lips as it saw her sex. Thinking quickly Kim rolled away from the huge thing looming over her trying to give herself long enough to regain her bearings she saw only the monsters thick legs one bleeding badly from a wound caused by her javelin which still stayed stuck fast in his flesh, but the reprieve was soon over as she was lifted from the ground by her long flowing hair.

All the self discipline she had evaporated as her entire body weight was taken by her scalp and she screamed in utter agony.

"KIM!"

The cry cut through the pain coursing through her body and in one fluid movement Kim drew her dagger, still wet with Ron and her own blood, and sliced through her hair releasing her from her tormentor. Kim hit the ground and rolled away coming up in a crouch baring her teeth and holding her dagger ready glaring at the towering man. He was clad in tight leather trousers with a dirty white shirt open at the front exposing his broad and hairy chest. His face was twisted in rage as he stared down at the clump of hair in his grip, his own hair flowed long and golden down his back, seemingly the most well kept part of him other than his massive mace that he was now raising over his head to attack her again and finish what he began.

"a woman? Seriously?" he drawled tucking the hair into his shirt.

"your dead red, seriously" he stepped forward gripping the mace with both hands about to swing down at Kim. Something pink flashed up the barbarians leg travelling quickly to his shoulder where Rufus stopped for a moment heaving in deep gulps of air and wiping sweat from his little brow.

"DUDE! No naked things near the hair" the giant cried then quickly cried out in pain as Rufus sank his teeth into the soft flesh of his neck then leapt onto Kim's head, gripping onto the short strands of hair for dear life.

"you are so dead! Seriously!" the giant gripped the maces shaft at its very end and raised it high above his head about to bring it crashing down on the soldier and the naked mole rat.

"BOOOOYAAAHHHH!" Ron frog leapt over Kim and Rufus, his teeth bared in a maniacal grin.

The barbarian swung frantically at Ron but was too slow and stumbled over a root as Ron slammed his shoulder into his gut driving the wind from him then followed that up by leading up and slamming his forehead into the giants heavily misshapen nose breaking it for him again.

Tears sprang unbidden from the monsters eyes and he swung the mace blindly with one hand, an action he would regret greatly if Ronald Stoppable had anything to say about it.

Locking the two swords together like a cross Ron moved them into the path of the giants arm, slicing his arm down to the bone. The blonde haired giant hadn't even begun to howl in pain before Ron raised his sword up high and brought it crashing down upon the wound hacking through the thick bone of the wrist and the rest of the flesh. The mace and hand still gripping it fell to the ground with a wet 'thunk' as its former owner howled and doubled over in pain holding the stump close to his chest trying to stem the bleeding.

The barbarians charge had slowed to nearly a complete stop and their morale had taken a heavy hit thanks to the two young opposing warriors that had cut men to pieces. The blonde youth especially caused them great fear, wearing no armour and grinning the entire time he killed men by the droves un tiring and uncaring, seeming to relish the blood he was covered in. They had heard stories about such men that were blood crazed killers that slaughtered entire armies and would not die despite their wounds. The Romans were known for integrating their enemies tactics and troops into their armies, why wouldn't they incorporate berserkers too? How many more like him could they have secreted away in the camp ready to be unleashed upon those foolish enough to attack them and now he had wounded their leader, the towering Ed who's mace had killed dozens of chieftains and hundreds of warriors. This assault could not get any worse for them.

Then a horn blew.

Ron raised one gladius again, ready to finish the cowering giant when a mighty horn blast resounded around the clearing causing him to turn his head in the direction of the camp where men marched forward in ordered ranks, the sound of their marching feet and the movement of their armour mingled with the thunder rolling over head. No more welcome a sight had Ron ever seen, well other than Kim earlier that night of course.

The whirl of javelins filled the air and cut down dozens of barbarians as the red wall advanced upon them in well disciplined lines, silent, dangerous and unnerving. A few brave or foolhardy barbarian warriors hurled themselves at the wall of red shields only to be stabbed by flickering blades like the tongues of serpents or beaten to a pulp by the shields and the unforgiving iron bosses in their centres. There was a stale mate for a few moments as those barbarians were killed the stepped over and dispatched from view by the ranks at the rear.

Still the roman's advanced steadily, still silent, still ordered, still deadly.

The entire formation stopped at the exact same moment seemingly from an unspoken order but Ron and Kim both knew from weeks of training that barkin would be in the very front of the ranks yelling orders that was drowned out to the enemy by his own soldiers marching feet. Ron admitted to himself that it was quite terrifying to behold and he imagined it would be ten fold for those having to face it in battle.

One more seemingly silent order and a volley of pilum javelins sailed through the air into the already disorganised ranks of the enemy.

Dozens were killed out right in that single volley many more grievously wounded. The attack had been cursed from the beginning after being found out by the lightning, it was clear even the gods wished the Gauls to fail in their attack.

As if to add further insult to injury, the mass wall of red shields took a single thundering step forward and with that the barbarian army broke. A sea of black and brown turned away from the red wall and fled back into the trees over their dead and dying comrades all fighting and pushing to get away.

Another silent order and hundreds of flaming arrows shot from behind the walls of the camp and into the fleeing rabble and also trees, soon the entire forest was ablaze. Many that had fled into her seeking sanctuary in the boughs and foliage quickly found themselves trapped in the inferno.

And still the red wall stood watching as men burned alive, screamed in agony as they died slowly upon the field or fled in other directions in the forest trying in vain to escape the hungry flames.

And still the red wall of roman soldiers stood and watched the entire time.

Still.

Silent.

Ordered.

Ron slumped down in an exhausted heap watching with disgust and mingled pity as the army burned. They were his enemies yes but they were still men, was that not why they had marched up here? To bring order and enfold the barbarians into Roman culture and allow them to suckle at the breast of such a mighty empire. Ronald stared down at his shaking hands, realising with shock that they were covered in the sticky dark red of blood, the blood of the men he had killed in the heat of battle.

Laying next to his sandaled foot lay the huge paw of the giant who had hurt Kim, ron spat and kicked the lifeless thing looking about for its owner but he was no where to be seen.

"seems he took his mace too" Ron muttered snapping Kim out of her shock.

She leapt atop of Ron hugging him fiercely then sat back and began looking him all over checking for wounds. Kim clucked her tongue over a gash across the top of his eyebrow and slash wound running down his ribs along with several more small cuts, bruises and scrapes none of his wounds fatal though.

"why are you a lowly soldier if you can fight like that? It was amazing to see" Kim gushed like a young girl as she dabbed at the cut above his eye with a strip of cloth.

The Roman army had broken up into handfuls of soldiers moving around the field stripping bodies of valuables and weapons to be stored and taking prisoners back to the camp, one such group came towards Ron and Kim every soldier grinning happily and calling out to their battle weary comrades Wade towered over the others as he lead Felix, Brick and Josh, his white teeth shining.

Kim gasped as the young men grew closer hey hands going to her hair as she frantically tried to find something to cover her face. Ron stilled her frantic hands with his own blood covered ones.

"they are my best friends and both of our comrades in arms, we can trust them with this secret"

Kim still wasn't sure until Ron's soft carefree gaze caught hers and she felt relaxed and at peace.

"alright, I trust you and I trust them but you still have not explained to me why your still at this rank if you can fight like that?"

Before Ron could answer Brick called out "hey Ron how was your first battle? Great job!"

Kim just sat staring open mouthed at the man who's life she had recently put her hands in and by rights should have run screaming back towards the camp as soon as the first soldiers had charged but instead charged out to meet them and stood with her.

"Kim?" Ron shook her shoulder gently causing her to jolt back into reality again.

She blinked once.

She blinked twice.

Then Kimberly Anne of the Possible family, drew back her fist and smashed it into Ron's chin knocking him out cold for the second time that night

Thus one of the greatest bonds between two people was created.


	3. Go to hell, slowly

**Go to hell, slowly**

Once again the steady thumping heart beat of the army rolled along the landscape like a enormous centipede, eating up the miles. The army was still abuzz from the previous nights action. It was a thing unheard of; an entire Gaul army practically broken in two by _two _soldiers, two cohorts of four hundred and eighty men apiece would have found the task a challenge. The very fact that one was the bumbling untested Ronald stoppable of the destitute house hold who's own father had been a great general of Rome but after a series of events involving the senate the family had been left with very little, all honour stripped from them and their estates seized.

Needless to say the story was sent via messenger pigeon back to Rome praising the blonde man and his compatriot timothy impossible, the short haired lad that stood beside stoppable laying low scores of men even when his shield, a roman soldiers first defence, was shattered by the enemy warlord Ed.

All in all it had been a good night for the Roman army.

Except for Ron who had had a terrible night first being half drowned and then beaten upon rocks then sliced up in the battle and to top it off he had been knocked out cold twice by a woman, now the torture continued as he marched.

Marched with a stone in his sandal.

Many men would bear the cuts and bruises with pride and suffer in silence as is the Roman way. Not Ron stoppable.

"Are we there yet?" he whined "my jaws killing me. How much further is it? Wade josh keeps marching on my side of the track"

The very fact that a man who had all but slaughtered an army of barbarians could complain like a child was unfathomable to most, it left even Barkin speechless when he approached he just stared dumb founded as the blonde man marched past. Usually a mans first battle either hardened him into a harder man or reduced him to a gibbering mess, Ron stoppable was unchanged it seems.

Luckily though his new companion was marching next to him.

"will you please be quiet?" Kim hissed at him as they sweated beneath the midday sun.

"I've met women who complain less than you, now be quiet and focus on marching" Kim pushed back her new helmet a little and wiped her brow while looking around at the landscape. Smooth rolling hills of long green grass as far as the eye could see, hares sprang up through the grasses disturbing hidden birds sending them into the cloudless blue sky with cries of alarm. Spring in Gaul, she admitted was beautiful, a plain beauty but beauty never the less.

The army was due to re-supply and rendezvous in a large roman town that stood resolute upon the very border between Roman lands and Gaul territory. The town had been spawned from a roman fort that had expanded over time as the need for soldiers and the rate of Gaul raids increased, families came with the soldiers and merchants came in their wake, opening up the town as a trade hub within years the wooden walls were replaced with towering stone ramparts and guard towers over looking the vast expanse of fields all long with wheat.

At least it was.

The first warning that something was amiss was the pillar of smoke rising high in the distance in the very direction they were headed in. this was relatively ignored, most judging it to be smoke from a festival of some sort celebrating spring and the time of harvest.

The next sign was the scorched earth upon either side of the road they marched upon, once more a plausible explanation was filtered through the ranks but it quelled the men's misgiving's only a slightly, after all slash and burn was a way to keep fields fertile after harvesting but what farmer sets fire to the left over wheat with his ox and cart still in the middle of the field? Flies buzzed around the charred and rotting carcass its flesh sunken and alive with masses of squirming maggots feasting upon it.

Murmurs buzzed from the troops as they marched onwards towards their goal, even Ron had fallen silent but he also was marching bare foot thanks to Kim's sharp dagger and short temper.

Then the crows.

The massive black carrion birds swirled like a large cloud cawing eerily causing the men to make the sign of the cross across their chests but this made them feel no better as in the wake of the crows came an unholy stench that filled the men's nostrils and caused the cavalry's highly trained horses to whinny in fear and toss their heads in distress. It was the stench of death.

Through some unspoken order amongst the ranks the marching pace quickened and weapons were checked and gripped a little tighter all knew what they would find as the crested the hill but all secretly prayed they were wrong.

Ron and Kim exchanged glances as they neared the top of the hill already they could hear the groans of anguish and silently they steeled themselves.

Nothing could have prepared them for what they witnessed.

Kim gasped in horror as their eyes took in what was before them. The town was a smouldering ruin, its great stone walls still stood but like blackened teeth in a mad mans mouth. The pillar of smoke rose hundreds of feet in the air from the crumbling building's in the destroyed town. The naked bodies of women some only young teenagers hung from the battlements with ropes tied fast around their necks, it did not take a smart man to know what had befallen the poor women before their deaths. There were bodies on the road, or at the very least pieces of bodies. They had seemingly tried to escape the slaughter and been butchered like cattle for the escape attempt.

"Ssst…Stoppable!" Barkin's voice broke he like the rest of the army stood in shock "take your team…search for survivors lad" Barkin's eyes held massive amounts of shock and pain at the carnage, understandable as the grizzled veteran had been born and raised in the town, none turned their head as the old centurion dropped to his knees and wept.

Ron drew his gladius and hefted his shield clenching his jaw grimly. Kim strode next to him as he set off. Wade quickly caught up to them his bow strung and an arrow knocked he walked a little ways behind them his keen eyes scanning the walls for any possible attackers.

Josh and Brick came padding over to fall in on either flank of Ron and Kim, Josh's face paler than usual and Brick's gripped his hammers shaft until his knuckles grew white. Felix came cantering up to the small group of soldiers and rode abreast their formation, Monique's hooves kicking up clouds of black dust as he rode.

They approached the main gate cautiously shields raised in front of them weapons ready for the first sign of trouble and at that time woe betide any barbarian to chance upon that small group.

Ron raised a fist in the air to signal a halt as they came upon the gate, his face a grim mask, his eyes slowly roamed over what was in front of him. "no bodies yet" he whispered back to his companions "and the gate is wide open, no sign of a battering ram or anything".

Once again they moved forward

"this was a town made for war" Wade murmured his eyes darting left and right "filled to the brim with soldiers"

"Not any more its not" Josh hissed as he tightened his grip on his pilum.

Brick asked the simplest of questions but the one that plagued all of their thoughts "what type of army could destroy an entire town of battle hardened soldiers?"

The entire group stopped and tensed at the question.

To do what had been done would need an army of massive proportions, there had been at least six cohorts in the town with every cohort owning up to four hundred and eighty men and the rule of thumb in siege war fare was that the attacking army is to have up to three times the amount of defenders, the estimated numbers of the attacking army were terrifying. What could the three cohort's that they marched with hope to stand against those odds?

Ron had moved on ahead of the group slightly as they moved down the crimson stained cobbled streets past smouldering ruins of houses and store fronts all now just piles of burnt timber. They had come across no bodies or weapons but it seems as if the houses had been looted thoroughly and there were signs of fighting in the blood that was dried upon the ground. They were just about to come into the village centre needing to only follow Ron around a large burnt out stone structure when suddenly Ron reappeared from around the corner holding Rufus close to his chest who was shaking uncontrollably, Ron's face was grey.

"Kim take Rufus back to the men and wait for us to return, tell Barkin there are no survivors"

Kim shook her head "I will not be pushed away like some milk maid Ronald" Kim began to walk forward but Ron held out Rufus to her stopping Kim in her tracks.

"Kim please I beg you, you don't need to see this, just do as I ask please" Ron pleaded his eyes beseeching the woman to listen to him. With a scowl Kim took Rufus and stormed back towards the gate.

"go with her please Felix I don't thing Monique could handle the smell with out throwing you"

No argument was brooked from Felix who nodded his head and quickly turned Monique around and followed Kim's muttering form.

"prepare yourself brothers" Ron told the remaining three as he lead them around the corner. The stench of burnt hair and flash mingled with excrement and piss assaulted the young men as they rounded the corner, so powerful was the smell it had Josh and Brick vomiting violently upon the earth. Wade stood resolute next to Ron surveying the horror before them his face was like wise pale despite his darkened skin.

The barbarians had built a pyre in the middle of the town where the market would have been held and upon the burning pyre they had cast the bodies of their victims but not before they had mutilated them to such an extent that Lucifer himself would have not condoned what they had done.

Intestines had been hung all around the square like decorations for a festival. Tongues and ears littered a long narrow path like flower petals lain at the feet of a blushing bride, leading to the base of a mountain of severed heads with what looked like three crudely created thrones fashioned from human bones all still glistening with blood.

Worse than all this was the ring of spears planted in the ground around the smouldering pyre and what was impaled upon them.

Kim gasped in horror behind the four men, three turned but Ron just squeezed his eyes tightly shut in defeat.

"I told you, you didn't need to see this" he growled shocking the others.

Tears flowed freely down Kim's cheeks as she walked slowly forward, her shield and pilum dropped and forgotten and her hand reaching out as if she were wading through a mist. Ron gripped her wrist and pulled her into his arms before her fingers could touch the blue skin of the impaled baby its mouth still open in a painful scream forever etched into its features. Kim pressed her face into Ron's chest as she cried over the senseless death of the children, Ron stared at the dozens of impaled children tears silently running down his freckled cheers as he held Kim tightening his arms around her as she squeezed herself against him.

The towns stone church was relatively untouched by fire although every single window had been smashed in Wade noted as he, Brick and Josh edged towards the last standing building. The faint glimmer of hope of finding survivors fluttered in their hearts like tiny birds.

Wade and josh pressed themselves on either side of the doors while Brick stood in the centre of the door way then at a nod from Wade Brick lifted his tree trunk thick leg and kicked the thick doors down sending them crashing to the floor.

Brick followed the doors inwards with out pause hefting his hammer high and holding his shield in front of him while Josh and Wade were close behind. Four men were crouched in the centre of the isles they all looked up in shock as the doors crashed in and the hulking roman warrior rushed in. The men hurriedly pulled up their breeches and reached for weapons, the tanned figure they had been pinning down gave a weak sob.

Brick careened into the men like a bull, smashing all four off their feet. Before any could jump back to their feet Brick had already brought his hammer crashing down onto the top of one mans head splattering it like a ripe watermelon. One red haired wild man was run through by Josh as he attempted to sink his broad bladed axe into Bricks exposed back.

The two remaining men stood shoulder to shoulder the dark purple of their clothing matching the dark purple fist emblazoned upon their shields, they spoke to each other angrily their eyes darting about desperately searching for and escape.

"come get some you filthy animals" Josh snarled at the two men, one whom raised his head over the top of his buckler to hurl abuse back at Josh but as he opened his mouth an arrow sped through it tearing out the back of his throat. As the mans eyes widened in shock another iron tipped arrow lodged into his left eye socket toppling him over backwards.

"surrender and ill make your death fast" Wade hissed as he stepped upon a pew elevating his position, his bow at full draw aimed at the final living barbarian. A moment passed with the stand off before Wade sent an arrow speeding through the barbarians exposed boot. The man screamed in pain dropping his sword to grip his bleeding foot allowing another opening for wade. Two more arrows were released sinking into the mans shoulder and wrist, pinning him to the ground.

Wade advanced upon the entrapped man as Brick and josh saw to the caring of the tanned brunette wrapping her in a rough woollen blanket from Bricks pack. Wades own dagger came to the barbarians throat.

"what happened here beast?" he pressed the point into flesh until blood welled up.

The mans eyes grew wider as he pleaded for his life from the enraged and sickened roman.

"TELL ME!" Wade all but screamed in his face, the blade pushed a little further into soft flesh.

With a gulp of air the barbarian recounted what had transpired

"we were all gathered months ago from out homes in Germania by the war chief Dementor, he is a little man but so very powerful it is said he wrestled a bear to death as a boy. He had us march through the winter snows to get to this place, promising to destroy the town in which you roman's had gathered forces to attack our homes for years.

We did not believe him at first even though he had conscripted almost every fighting man he could we numbered only four thousand but then by the gods themselves Dementor showed us his plan. As we marched hard to reach this place we found another army just as great as our own bristling with spears and swords filled with bloody men that hung severed heads from their belts as trophies.

Britons.

Our blue skinned brothers were welcomed into our fold and the army doubled in size as Briton and German marched together to make war on you filthy Romans"

Wades blade pressed deeper.

"wait! Wait! That is not all! We were nearing this town all were prepared for battle we knew of the soldiers who resided here's fearsome reputation and there knowledge of war, all of us knew it would be a long and hard fight but the thrill of blooding Romans was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Dementor and the blue skinned Briton chief with a scar on his cheek along with his green skinned priestess rode off into the fog when we finally reached this pigs piss filled town and came back an hour later laughing. No one knew why they were so happy and they only graced us with few words. Seems that all their schemes had taken off like a fledgling from the nest and grown into a powerful hawk ready to swoop onto the unsuspecting eagle of the empire. They had more allies it seems. The greatest empire in the world seemed to have more enemies that allies and my lord Dementor had exploited this.

The Spanish men in their shiny cuirasses and their thick bodied horses had already surrounded the town and were just waiting for us to arrive before they attacked. Once we were all well and rested, as we were in no hurry, the signal was given and the gates were opened"

The barbarian smiled through blood stained teeth at the shocked look on the Romans faces.

"yes a traitor in your midst. We allowed him to walk out calmly then we surged into the sleeping town doing what we pleased"

His eyes wandered over to the sobbing girl and licked his lips hungrily "as many times as we wanted. Oh it was glorious seeing the three war lords seated upon that mountain of sculls, the dead eyes crying rivers of blood for our men to sup from. My lord Dementor, the Briton Drakken and the aged Spanish leader senior. These great warriors will bath in the blood of your children and pitch their tents made from the flayed skins of your women and sip wine from your skulls!"

Wade tensed his arm in preparation to slice the disgusting rapists throat out but before he could carry out his task a scream of fury sounded behind him. The tanned skinned woman drew Josh's Gladius from his hip and rushed at the last living man who had taken part in ravaging her body against her will and slaughtered everyone she knew and loved. The prostrate man screamed pitifully as the sword plunged into his crotch again and again by the enraged woman. He pleaded to no avail for her to stop but nothing on heaven or earth could have prevented that woman from attaining her vengeance. The mans pained eyes turned to Wade who had not moved and looked down at him in disgust "kill me!" he begged as the tanned woman continued to mutilate his manhood and worked her way up his body stabbing downwards continuously parting his flesh with the iron tip of the sword causing massive amounts of agony to the beast that had raped her.

Wade simply retracted his blade from the slowly dying mans throat and after wiping it upon his leg reheated it with a look of complete contempt.

"go to hell" Wade whispered just as the woman drove the sword into the mans chest piercing his lung.

To hell he would go.

Slowly.

Well there's chapter 3 guys hope you all are enjoying it I know I am while I sit in my comfy lounge chair with my house mate bagging me out and my younger brother nags at me to write more and listens to my future ideas with gusto and throws half them back at me with equal glee. Id love to hear any one else's opinions or ideas I'm open to suggestions and if the information in there is incorrect I apologise profusely, I'm going off random google searches or what I have gathered from Rome: total war (I suggest every one tries it out, brilliant game). Next chapter: retribution!

Bushy J


	4. Hubris

The distraught Roman army had slowly begun to reorganise the levelled town , pulling down the burnt remains of buildings, remanning the walls and towers with sentries all alert for danger, and digging a mass grave for the corpses beyond the walls of the town. The men worked silently it was as if a blanket had been cast over them all stifling their spirits and muting their voices. Gone were the good natured jibes as they sweated while digging or hauling lumber and pitching tents, perhaps the knowledge that they now toiled to put their own butchered people to rest or that the lumber they cut and hauled was to replace that which had been burnt to cinders and the stomach turning idea that they were pitching their very tents on the earth that was still soaked with blood, it disheartened all.

Strangely the three cohorts worked without centurion Barkin's bellowed instructions and encouragement, he instead knelt with head bowed in front of a husk of a house set further apart from other houses upon a small hill in the town giving the house a beautiful view of the town and the country beyond. Ron had gone to him for orders like dozens of other higher ranked soldiers who had walked away in a huff, a young aspiring officer named William Du had arrogantly marched up the hill with his head held high and chest puffed intent of forcing orders from the one man that would set a fire beneath the arses of the soldiers, to give them a purpose and break them from the reverie that held their gazes to the broken town. Du had rolled to the bottom of the hill sporting a bruised backside saying grumpily from the ground that when he had demanded Barkin to man up and pull himself together the older and far larger man had promptly boxed his ears and booted his arse down the hill after calling him a "yapping whelp".

Ron had stood awkwardly behind the broken man as he stared down at his muddied hands. Three freshly dug graves stood just in front of Steven Barkin one large two smaller, blood dripped from his broken fingernails decrying that the graves had been dug by his own two calloused and scarred hands.

"I told them I would be back for the spring" Barkin began, his massive body deathly still as he spoke it was almost as if the great man did not live at all and was made a statue by his grief. "she was so tiny. So light. It was like lifting a child but oh boy could she argue, she was the one woman who could yell me down. She was so mad that I was being marched to Rome for four more year, said she could not move the children and she couldn't move from her ailing mother. By the gods did she blow up when I told her that old bat would out live the empire" Barkin chuckled darkly "I marched you men double time to get here and not one of you begged leniency from the speed, like true Romans you pushed through it. We were too late to save them"

Ron had looked over his shoulder at the men milling down the bottom of the hill or wandering absently through the bloodied streets of the town. "Sir you know I had to join the army to attempt to better my family's standing in the senate and god willing pay off our debts caused by my late father's gambling and poor investments. I loved my family but never knew my father he was always gone on some caravan to god knows where or off in the taverns playing dice losing more money than he had. The debts continued to pile up and then we received a visit from three men in the middle of the night, father took them into his study for privacy but their yelling and his pleading cut through our manor like a knife through lard. I grew afraid for my father so I snuck up to the door and pushed it ajar, one of the men had my poor father by the throat while the other wrote upon a parchment and pressed it into my fathers hands demanding he sign it or else they would butcher the entire household, my stupid and cowardly father signed it. It was the last thing he ever did. As soon as the parchment was signed the blade slid between my fathers ribs, I still remember how dark the blood was as it oozed between his fingers and stained his favourite toga. I ran away as fast as I could like a coward and hid preying that id be safe, I wasn't. They had made my father sign over everything that we owned to them, our villa, the slaves, the live stock everything but still they demanded more money from our family. My mother and sister are now a burden upon my uncle as he struggles to live and care for his own family. They had no choice but to send me away to hopefully raise the stoppable name up in honour as my great grandfather Jon stoppable had done years ago and be rewarded in land and riches. I was alone with no father until I met you sir, you may not know it but a lot of the men you lead look towards you as a father figure your everything we should strive to be in a man and we need your guidance now sir."

Barkin turned his head slowly to meet Ron's gaze his once blue eyes were now a steely grey. "I have given my entire life for Rome and its people and now I have lost my wife and two daughters because of it…tell Du to take the cavalry and track the barbarian army and you Stoppable; you take control of the army. Billet tents, clear debris, dig latrines. I don't care, you just do what you think is right and leave me with my family"

With that he had turned away from the shocked soldier.

Thus the men had been set to work and given purpose by their temporary commander albeit they were stunned to have the freckled youth issuing orders they had all seen his battle prowess and respected the young man. More of a shock to the men was their acting commander working along side them sweating in the midday sun, cursing when he lifted a heavy beam to pitch a tent and shared his ration of water with the man next to him.

They respected him.

William Du was a man they did not respect though they did fear his wrath. A son of a high ranking council member will Du had been given a high rank as soon as his father had him in the army. He was a spoilt brat in every sense of the word and his superior attitude had caused the men to take a disliking to him but after several troops enacting insubordination or what he deigned to be disrespectful behaviour towards their better which had resulted in floggings, the men gritted their teeth and did as commanded by the pampered officer.

Felix Renton had personally thought that the young man was not only a brat but also an out right idiot prone to taking stupid risks in name of his pride and lust for glory. Josh had been well schooled in warfare and of battles long gone, the Spartans had taught the meaning of hubris (pride or vain-glory leading to downfall) to the Persians. Josh hoped with all his might as he cantered along with his column of cavalry behind Du, that this fool hardy man did not get him and his comrades killed.

They had happily saddled up and set off after Ron had descended from the hill in a bewildered state relaying Du's instructions and that command had been temporarily handed to him, they had ridden out of the town promptly but not before Du had exploded in indignation and rage. Even now that memory of Du marching back up the hill bellowing his out rage to be quickly silenced then sent tumbling back down the hill again.

There was only two hundred and fifty cavalry men sent out to scout for the location of the barbarian army, a mere handful compared to what a complete legion would field accompanied by dozens of cohorts and not to mention archers, engineers and runners. Their army had been a small force destined to receive a bulk of its warriors at towns along their march into Gaul. The main supplying town of men and arms though they had found slaughtered thus leaving them even more worse for wear.

Du led the column shakily not quite sure in which direction to head and had it not been for the few scouts sent out they would not have even caught site of the camp set in a valley a few miles away from the burnt out town. The Roman cavalry were waiting for Du, Felix and four other officers to make their way back from where they were on their bellies glaring down on the camp at the very centre of a green valley with steep sides but steady slopes leading into it.

"arsy bastards, not even posting sentries" Du muttered as he looked down with disgust at the dirty and bearded men meandering around their camp all drunk and singing loudly.

He pushed himself back and marched back to his snow white steed "saddle up men we will take these drunken bastards and bring their leaders head back to centurion Barkin, maybe that will snap the moody bastard out of his sulking"

Felix stepped forward and gripped Du's reins halting the mans horse "sir don't you think that this is a little _too_ easy? All they really need is a great big sign saying: 'hello come kill us'. It is a set up sir and our orders were not to engage but to just find the opposing army and return with their location, nothing more"

Du lent down in the saddle to come closer to Felix "I am in command here boy you are no more than a stupid, ignorant slave to do as I wish. Now you will climb up on that blasted mare and follow orders. Do you understand me?" Will sneered down at the glaring sergeant.

"I said do you understand me!" Du hissed kicking Felix square in the chest sending him to the ground gasping for breath, the wind knocked from his lungs. None made a move around the two all were too shocked by the treatment, not even Barkin had acted in such a way.

"yes, sir" Felix groaned from the muddied ground clutching his chest sucking in air.

"now I say charge" Du growled as Felix staggered over to Monique who gently nudged him with her nose checking her masters state like a fussing mother. Felix sadly patted her nose.

"I'm alright girl" Felix spat at Will Du's turned back as he trotted away sprouting orders for the men to form in a spear head formation, no doubt so that he could lead the charge against the great threat to Rome and claim all the glory.

"But I'm not sure how long that will last" Felix groaned as he swung up stiffly into the saddle then urged the agitated Monique forward into the two hundred and fifty strong formation, all horses were formed as to drive a wedge straight though the enemy subsequently dividing their forces and causing panic. It was a simple and effective manoeuvre that had won many decisive victories in a single charge.

Du raised his spear above his head "FOR ROME!"

A single note was blown from the horn signalling the charge towards the unprepared enemy.

The army lurched forward in a trot that quickly became a canter then an full fledged gallop towards the strangely small camp for an army that was supposedly numbering in the thousands, this camp seemed large enough for a few hundred.

The entire cavalry force was committed to the charge there was no way they could rethink the plan or even slow down with out being trampled by their comrades so Felix raced on with Monique snorting beneath him her ears flat against her head, she was also uneasy about this.

"Gods no" Felix yelled eyes widening as the ground twenty feet in front of the charging cavalry opened up. Massive blue faced men pushed up the lines of grass revealing a trench spanning the diameter of the valley.

Sharpened stakes jutted out from their hiding spaces like the brown broken teeth of the earth smiling wickedly as its meal came ever closer to the gaping maw.

Unable to stop or even slow down the forward units of cavalry could only close their eyes tight as they came closer to the trap.

All cursed Will Du who had led them into this death trap but they took solace in the fact that he would be the first killed.

The first horses hit the trench at phenomenal speeds, snapping their front legs at the sudden steep drop and hurling their riders over the trench almost at the feet of the blue faced barbarians who stood with swords drawn, wolf like smiles on their faces.

The long stakes did their intended purpose, wreaking massive casualties upon the hapless attackers impaling the chests and soft underbellies of the beautiful steeds, their whinnies of agony echoed through the valley in a horrific symphony of pain and panic.

Felix's heart broke in two as he felt the wooden stake drive itself through Monique's chest, so much was his pain for her loss he did not even feel the same wooden barb pierce his gut, pinning him to his dying horse. The same blow that had felled his best friend and confidant had also lain him low.

Monique gave one last terrified whinny before shuddering and keeling over to the side crushing Felix's leg beneath her weight. Not that it mattered for he was soon to be dead as well. Felix softly stroked Monique's blood splattered mane and lamented his friend ignoring the blood weeping from around the wooden stake still buried in his stomach. Other horses and men died around him but their screams were muted to him and blurred through his tears.

Laughter rang out around the decimated Roman cavalry as the surviving men picked themselves up and drew swords. The cavalry that remained clustered together glaring up towards the very path into the valley they had just foolishly charged down.

A tall lithe raven haired woman stood clad in tight, green dyed leather leggings and jacket with black symbols stitched into its fore arms and legs.

She raised her arms high into the air baring more symbols etched into her pale green flesh marking her as a priestess of the pagan gods. She yelled out words in her own language. Her words although unknown to the Romans were clearly insulting and a great chorus of jeers from the clue army.

They wanted blood.

"form up!" Will commanded stepping forward screaming hysterically at the men he had just driven into the valley of death.

None moved.

He was the reason they were here in this hell, doubtlessly about to be slaughtered. Why should they listen to him again.

Hatred burned in every mans eyes as they glared at their commanding officer "move or ill have you court marshalled for insubordination!" Du screamed at them only to be met with dark laughter.

They knew they were already dead men and so did he. He had single handily lead two hundred and fifty men to their doom. There was no redemption for William Du, he knew that but he wanted to live.

Du drew his gladius and held it high in the air over his head then cast it to the ground turning tail and running towards the Briton army arms held high in surrender, tears streamed down his face as he ran towards the priestess calling for mercy.

Du dropped to his knees as he came closer to the priestess grovelling shamefully "oh great priestess spare my life I beg of you and I will be yours until the end of the world, I pledge my soul to your service for your mercy"

The olive skinned priestess raised a perfect eye brow as she gripped his chin forcefully. Her long dark finger nails drew blood where they touched his flesh. To his credit Du did not wince or break eye contact with the cold beauty.

"What can you do for me slave other than offer me your soul?"

"I…I will return to Rome echoing stories of your ruthlessness and power, spreading fear to the simpletons of Rome causing it to tear it self asunder with out you to even sully your hands in their blood your conquest will be an easy thing with my help"

The priestess slapped him away from her opening up five deep gashes in the side of his face causing Du to scream in pain.

"And what of your men down there? They will know of your treachery if I allow them to live?" she waved her hand absently at the hate filled Romans trapped like rats by the cat.

"Kill them, they never really liked me any way" Du replied with a insane smile through the blood coursing down his face.

"bet they fucking love you now" a grossly muscled blue skinned barbarian stepped forward next to the priestess completely naked from the waist up asides from a necklace of fingers and tongues draped around his neck. The man held long black hair back from his face by a strap of leather tying it behind his head, a wicked looking scar ran half way down his blue painted face beneath his eye.

"Ah Drakken my love, are your men ready?"

With a cold smile Drakken raised a gigantic battle axe with one hand into the air obviously as a sort of signal. All around the rim of the valley men as grossly muscled and towering height stepped from the ranks of blue clothed and skinned men. Their bodies were heavily scarred and they stood almost naked like drakken in a simple pair of leggings and boots they all panted like wild animals their eyes beginning to glaze over.

"yes lady Shego we are ready"

The lady Shego pulled the monstrous man down and locked his lips with her own in a heated kiss that turned Du's stomach. When the kiss broke Drakken's pupils had disappeared and foam began to form at the corners of his mouth.

"kill them all, my dearest" with a bellow like a charging bull and a massive sweep of his axe, that would have decapitated the priestess had she not ducked gracefully with a smirk the monstrous man cannoned towards the doomed Romans.

One Briton had stood far too close and had been too slow to duck the mad sweep of the axe blood cascaded into the air, the scent of it spurring the blue skinned warrior on.

The twenty or so other berserkers positioned around the valley now gave into their battle lust and charged towards the hapless Romans, terror now gripping their hearts and causing their remaining horses to panic and flail. Men's head where caved in by the panicking beasts and more riders thrown, one horse broke away from the roman lines carrying its young rider with it towards the bellowing Drakken. His axe flashed in a arc across his body impossibly fast and hacked through the thick neck of the horse continuing through the rider. The young man screamed just once as his brain registered he and his horse had just been cut clean in half in one stroke. He died before he could register the pain and see his insides spilling around him along half his left arm, still holding the reins, lying several metres away.

Men were sent flying as the berserkers shoulder charged into the Roman line then followed the attack in whirling arcs of death with their massive swords or axes carving trenches of death through the Romans.

It was all over quickly

The stench of blood, piss and the insides of a man hung heavily in the air as the Gaul priestess Shego stepped lithely around the eviscerated or decapitated corpses. Even as a little girl, hunting through the bloodied fields of battle searching the bodies for anything of value to feed her worthless family, the blood and carnage had not bothered her then.

Movement caught her eye as she walked through the handy work of her lover and his berserkers. A man was pinned to his dead horse by a thick, sharpened stake that she had commanded be hidden beneath the floor of the valley. The ploy had worked perfectly, the small camp as bait and then the trap was sprung.

The man had short brown hair and sky blue eyes, quite pleasing to her eye but alas he was a Roman. Shego approached him slowly, listening to him whisper and stroke the mane of his long dead horse. The very fact that he lived was a shock to Shego, she herself had watched the berserkers tear wounded men limb from limb with their bear hands.

Shego almost lovingly stroked Felix's face "hello little Roman" she cooed like a loving mother. Felix's eyes focused upon his enemy his numb fingers reaching for his dagger. The movement caused agony in his crushed legs.

Shego smiled cruelly at his pain and torment while drawing a curved dagger from one of the sleeves of her jacket.

"Time to die little roman"

Felix screamed in agony as the tip of the dagger sank into his cheek bone.

"But not before some more pain" Shego laughed long and loud drown gout the young mans screams.

**There is chapter four every body, I hope you like it but I admit it seems a bit forced by me but oh well I am feeling the next one will flow a lot more although it may take a while to get out it getting to crunch time with uni so I may have a lot less time to write and a lot less hair from the stress wish me luck. **


	5. For love

**For love**

"FELIX!" Ron awoke from the horrible nightmare of blood and agony of his closest friends, their eyes vacant, mouths agape in silent screams.

Sweat coated his entire body and a bead of sweat dripped down the tip of his nose dropping onto his heaving bare and hairless chest. The acting commanders screams of terror were enough to rouse his companions from their sleep in a nearby tent. The band came scrambling into his Spartan tent gripping weapons, eyes searching for assailants.

All they saw was the pale, shaking, finely toned man curled up in a ball atop his stretcher. They all shared understanding looks as Kim started forward slowly gently touching Ron's muscled shoulder causing his eyes to clear slightly as they focused upon her beautiful, undisguised face. Kim crooned to the young man as she held him against her and rocked him back and forth. "its alright. I'm here" she whispered into his hair. The watching friends had begun to edge their way out of the tent when the great tolling of a bell rang out across the town calling all to attention and bringing warning from the main gate from the sentries stationed there.

With a flurry of blankets Ron sprang from the bed pushing through his friends and out the tent flaps, gripping his sheathed sword in his hand wearing nothing but his breeches. He rushed towards the main gate of the town, ignoring the shocked looks of his companions as they hurried to follow him. Before Ron could call out to the sentries upon the wall or guarding the gate house there were shouts and the sound of groaning gears as the gates were opened to reveal a single man standing covered in blood and sporting five great gashes across his face his eyes were wide with terror as he shook like a leaf in the wind.

Du stumbled forward into Ron as they approached, his bloodied fingers grasping at the young man in desperation. "we are undone my friend. The cavalry… they were _butchered_ to the man in a ambush by the fierce barbarians. They danced upon the bodies of our men and tore them apart with their bare hands, the horror of it all still haunts me commander. I beg you to let me rest before you question me for I barely escaped with my life"

A brief flicker of contempt and some other unknown emotion passed over Ron's face as he held onto the grovelling man "of course. You there?" Ron called out to two men in the gathering crowd of soldiers "take Du to his tent please. Du stay there until you are fetched to debrief on what occurred"

"decimation sir, complete and utter decimation that is what occurred. Men's hearts ripped from their chests as they lay staked out and screaming on the earth"

Ron roughly slapped the man across his face then unloaded him to the two worried looking soldiers "that will do man".

Panic was the last thing the men needed and the very last thing Ron wanted. Panic and fear sapped a mans fighting spirit and robbed him of strength to fight, that much Ron knew.

As the unconscious Du was dragged away Ron spun on his heel and briskly walked back to his tent.

The tent had been issued to Ron as was fitting his current rank, was large enough to house over ten men and would usually be filled with luxuries such as furs and sculptures and large four posted beds but in Ron's there was a simple cot, a brass mirror to check his reflection, a rack for his armour and weapons, and a small dish on a stand for him to bathe in. That was all that Ron needed and that was all that Ron wanted. The large tent took the acting commander and entire hour to set up. Thirty minutes into that hour Ron had come to the realisation that the tent was designed to be erected by many more people than a single man. This realisation left him wrestling with his pride for a further twenty five minutes, all the while glaring at the jumbled pile of canvas, ropes and poles with hatred. And so the young man would have remained had not a half dozen soldiers walked passed the sullen man and assisted him, thus erecting the tent an hour since the commander had begun. The men walked off merrily as Ron bestowed upon each of them a jug of spiced wine in thanks for their assistance laughing to themselves at the commanders grumblings of "five bloody minutes".

Ron now slumped into his single cot and started up at the high ceiling of the tent sightlessly. His best friend was dead, he knew that. He knew that Du had some how been responsible, no commander lets his men get slaughtered to the man without falling himself. Now he was with out cavalry support and down over two hundred men with an enemy no doubt swinging around to wipe them out, no commander risks leaving any type of force to his rear in a campaign.

Ron sat up and placed his face in his hands. Everything seemed to becoming unravelled very quickly in his first command.

A small rapping at the post of his tent caused Ron to look up and see Kim, back in armour, standing there with the dark skinned survivor Bonnie. Ron had known that leaving a woman to roam free by her self in a camp full of men that had not seen a woman in many months would lead to a great deal of trouble. Romans were not known for their respect towards women after all, So Ron had assigned Timothy possible to accompany Bonnie where ever she went. he had winked at the incognito Kim when he introduced the two "this man will protect you miss Rockwaller he has a great knowledge of the females mind and will be happy to help you in any way". Kim had smirked slightly and had responded "more than you will ever hope to know sir".

Ron stood up and beckoned the two to enter and take a seat on his cot. Kim sat at ease but bonnie sat on the very edge of the bed as if ready to spring up and flee at a moments notice, the poor woman had been ill at ease in male company after her ordeal, the only exception had been when the massive and gentle Brick Flagg was concerned. At the girls neck now sat a talisman the man had carved from living stone and now sat cool and reassuring against her neck from a string provided by the ever smiling wade and secreted away in her boot was a sheathed dagger of ornate design supplied to Bonnie by Josh Mankey. Each man of the now known "mad dogs" group had supplied her with a trinket or present of some kind, Ron's own contribution had been armour and clothing requisitioned from the best armourer, the 'mad dogs' found this highly amusing. "no longer is it a mans army eh Ron?" Wade had laughed heartily.

Kim, with Ron's blessing had begun to teach Bonnie the basics of self defence and weapons training, training that the young tanned woman took to with a grim gusto understandably.

"so how is the newest member of the 'Mad dogs' faring?" Ron quizzed smiling warmly at the woman, shoving his foul mood aside.

"well enough sir. I'm sorry for the loss of your men sir" and in a rush his foul mood was back and he turned away and grunted "thank you, would you please give timothy and I a few moments alone we have to discuss some things, the mad dogs are on gate duty if you would like company".

To her credit Bonnie's spirit had not been broken by her attack more so strengthened it like tempered steel, her eyes never wavered from Ron's as she nodded and left the two alone.

Kim flopped back on the bed and sighed heavily undoing her helmet and tossing it lightly to the side. Shaking her short hair she blinked up at the grinning Ron "is there something on my face?" she asked touching her smooth skin.

"There is nothing wrong with your face you look perfect" Ron blanched at his comment then joined Kim on the cot who was blushing and smiling slightly.

"there is something seriously wrong with Du's story and he is hiding something from us, that much I know" Ron muttered staring at the ground between his legs as he sat.

Kim propped herself up on an elbow "Du has always been after power and a sycophant but I cant imagine he would have ever complimented or addressed you with respect like he did just now" Ron nodded his head "very true, he's always been a dirt bag to me and I don't think a promotion would change his feelings of loathing"

Kim drew her dagger "so do we kill him or arrest him for treason?" Kim began cleaning her short nails with the tip of the dagger.

"For now we wait, I know those bastards will be coming down hard on us before we know it. They have sacked this town once and id imagine they're quite confident they can do it again…maybe too confident"

A goofy grin spread across Ron's face.

"ALARM!" the cry was taken up by dozens of voices as the rapid tolling of the warning bell cut through the camp din. Men rushed about in confusion, little lights flickered and a tent went up in flame as a torch was knocked against it causing more cries of alarm.

Priestess Shego smiled cruelly as she gazed down upon the little Roman's scurrying about and they climbed up the parapets ready to try and repel the barbarian army. They would be slaughtered soon enough she knew, as soon as the gates were opened and the combined might of Gaul, Germania, Briton and the Spaniards would stream into the town like they had before and butcher the silly little Romans from the inside out. Shego licked her lips in unrestrained glee at the mental image she had of burning the town to cinders once more.

The sound of hundreds of voices roared out of the town as the large main gates slowly began to open allowing access to the town.

"GO!" Shego screamed bloodthirstily "go and sink your blades into Roman flesh. Kill the fools that take your lands and rape your women! KILL!"

Thousands of voices bellowed in rage and sprang towards the walled town, its gate lay open to them ready to be taken again as easily as they had before.

This would be all too easy.

William Du rushed silently through the town, doing his very best to avoid detection as the men slept or huddled around fires and murmured quietly to each other each had a thick blanket cast over their shoulders covering everything but their heads from the biting cold.

Du's task had been a simple one. Get back into the camp then wait for darkness to descend and open the gates for the army to attack through and slaughter the defenders. He was so close to his objective and then freedom he could taste it.

Du's greatest trouble would be killing the gate guards.

He approached the housing for the great wheel that caused the heavy gate to open and close, his dagger and gladius out and ready to strike down the men inside. Oddly enough when Du rushed into the cramped space he found it deserted of soldiers.

Adrenalin and panic caused the man to push the puzzling stroke of fortune aside as he worked the crank to open the gates with a groan.

Du gave a whoop of exhilaration and triumph as he ran out to the open gate looking out at the approaching army leaping into the air and pumping his fist. This continued for a moment until he realised the silence from the town.

Slowly the traitorous roman turned around and came pale face to rage twisted face with Ron stoppable who stood just in front of the assembled roman army all armed and ready for battle. Shields over lapped into a impenetrable wall of steel and wood. The men were arranged in a wide 'V' across the mouth of the gate opening. An unorthodox tactic that Ron had come up with on the spot hoping the cause some panic when the barbarians rush through the gates and instead of finding their prey unawares they will be faced by steel on both sides.

"You little rat" Ron spat at the slightly older man who raised his sword and dagger at the acting commander "you would not understand, I did what I had to do to survive"

Ron's own sword cut through the air like lightning connecting with Du's own sword viciously, nearly tearing it from his grip. "I would have died along with my men than betray them to the enemy. That is the roman way" three times in quick succession Ron's sword descended which Du only barely managed to deflect the attacks. Years of sword drill on his fathers estates seemed to be doing nothing for the young man as his commander hacked and hacked at him. Rage giving his attacks greater strength and speed so that they were little more than a blur in the blonde Romans hands, had it not been for the dagger and sword, Du would have fallen long ago. The mans strength was beginning to ebb and his speed draining away already but Stoppable's only seemed to increase with every strike forcing the aristocrats' son back step by step.

Teeth bared in a snarl Ron whirled like a spin top while crouching low, slicing through Du's knee cap severing his leg in a great spurt of arterial blood. Du screamed in pain and dropped his sword to clutch the stump of his leg in agony. Ron's foot slamming into his chest knocking the wind out of him and pressed him down into the dirt.

There was no sound or movement from the roman's as they watched their younger leader beat down upon the traitor.

They stared in awe of the power the young man possessed and cheered as the traitors leg was hacked off in a single clean movement.

They sneered with contempt as the defeated soldier began to cry and beg for his life from his prone position upon the earth, this life blood spurting across the dusty earth.

None moved to assist him.

The thunder of thousands of charging warriors reached their ears and worried looks were exchanged at the strategy their leader had chosen to employ facing so many foes on open ground seemed foolish but still Stoppable conveyed confidence in his decision to them.

They would hold their ground and fight to the last if need be.

Ron turned and looked contemptuously at the approaching army he spat in their direction. Turning his back on them he slowly walking back to the lines of soldiers ready to stand at the fore front of the battle. In walking past the grovelling Du Ron sliced cleanly through the hamstring of Du's other leg effectively crippling him "embrace the rewards of traitors" Ron stated coldly and left the writhing man in the centre of the gate way where thousands of bodies would no doubt trample him to death rather quickly.

A just punishment.

Kim tightened the lacings of her helmet awkwardly with one hand while waiting for Ron to reclaim his shield. He had silently handed to her while they men had formed up after the silent orders had been passed from fire to fire to shed the thick blankets that hid their readiness for battle from prying eyes. All witnessed Du enter the gate house and open the gate to potentially allow them all to be slaughtered by the barbarians. There was no love lost as Ron cut down the mewling little coward, in fact the men had given up a throaty cheer as Ron marched to join their ranks and retook his shield.

"Romans! lets mess them up!" Ron bellowed bringing another throaty cheer from the men.

Seconds passed in silence with the roar of a tide of barbarians increasing in volume every moment.

Their trampling feet like thunder.

Their war cries like waves crashing upon the shoreline.

Du's pitiful cries as piercing and unrelenting as hungry gulls.

"pilum!" Ron Roared as the first few ranks of barbarians sprinted into view through the gate way, his voices sounding remarkably like Barkin's and like Barkin had drilled the men they responded with precise and unhurried movements.

The front ranks of the barbarian horde slowed considerably as they realised the imminent danger, their eyes widening and their mouths opened to shout warnings but too late as the order to release pilum was given and the deadly weighted javelins flew through the air, cutting down many barbarians but still they continued forwards half out of bravery and half out of the press of their comrades at their backs who were unaware of the danger at their front.

The Roman soldiers braced their shields with their shoulders as the barbarians slammed into them cursing and bellowing, swinging their weapons wildly and desperately catching some roman's with their blades but mostly beating ineffectually upon the iron rims of the rectangular shields.

Gladiuses flashed through the gaps in the shields up and down the 'V' shaped line disembowelling or blinding their owners foes in lightning fast strikes. The press of barbarians upon the roman line was so great that despite the strength the Romans held in a tight knit formation they were beginning to be forced back by the assaulting barbarians. Inch by deadly inch the crimson armoured Romans were being forced back into the town. The stretching of their lines was becoming dangerously close to breaking the formation.

A screaming blue face presented itself over the edge of Ron's shield and before the barbarian could swing his axe and kill the young man Ron's sword drove through his open mouth and out the back of his head killing the blue faced man out right. All along the combat line men screamed as cold iron pierced their bodies or slumped crying, begging for their mothers as they clawed at entrails spilling forth from their wounded guts or many other differing mortal wounds.

Still the barbarians came even as they beat themselves bloody against the unexpected resistance and preparation of the Romans but such were the combined numbers of the barbarians they had many to throw at the roman's. Given time, the sheer weight of numbers would tire and overwhelm the defenders.

Ron knew this.

"Wade!" he roared over the crash of steel "archers!"

Ron's plan had been a simple one. Draw the dogs in with bait, hold them in place and then rain down hell upon them from atop the walls. The first two parts of the plan had gone well enough now it was time for part three to turn the bloodied nose into a broken jaw.

A grim smile broke across Wade's face as he drew his bow and sighted along the blackened shaft of the arrow pinpointing a barbarian who held a sword high above his head drawing Wades attention. Beside him Bonnie screamed her hate in a shrill that twisted the insides and released her projectile.

Dozens of iron tipped arrows sailed down from the darkened figures atop the walls around the gate. Silent but for the slight hissing of their passage through the air. The silent projectiles sped through the night and found purchase in the unprotected backs of the assaulting barbarians, causing screams of pain and panic as scores of men were struck down by the invisible bolts of death.

The barbarians fell by the score as arrows pumped into them from above each and every arrow finding a victim due to the packed formation the barbarians had been forced into through the gate way then into the clear space before the Roman lines.

But that was just to weaken the bone.

The true bone crushing blow came once more from above in the form of fifty large men with an array of differing weapons from swords, tridents, axes and one man who towered above the rest wielding a hammer.

Brick whooped with laughter as he jumped down from the battlements using his large shield to crush three men beneath him and cushion his fall. The massive Gladiator rose to his feet and in one fluid motion swung his shield and hammer around him like a tornado killing men or just flinging them away like rag dolls.

The gladiators sliced into the backs of the men engaging the rest of the Roman's or charged into the oncoming foes slicing through them with skill born from years of fighting for their lives and money in the arena.

The screaming and laughing men in their mismatched armour and blood stained weapons were enough to tip the scales and break the morale of the offending army. Those that were not trapped in the town fled through the gates back to their camp while the few hundred others found themselves caught between the hammer and the anvil with no where to escape to.

The battle was far from over now though.

Inch by bloody inch was gained as the Romans closed the noose around the trapped barbarians. The ground became slippery with blood and entrails.

No quarter was given and none was asked for.

It was a long night.

Kim stood silent and alone atop the gateway, surveying the depleted barbarian force that camped atop a hill, over looking the town.

The army was licking its wounds.

Thousands had died during the gateway battle. Both forces had been diminished greatly, although the barbarian alliance had suffered the greatest of the two. Their great army had been cut down by a half, still it left a great number of battle ready men.

A good third of the Romans had met their end beneath the gateway in the dark. A far cry from the number that would have been left had their commander not acted as he had. They owed Stoppable their lives once more.

Kim had stood shoulder to shoulder with the blonde the entire night. She admired the passion with which he fought and led the men despite having received no training during his short life and career as a soldier, a natural born leader. There was another strange little emotion mixing in with her admiration of Ron but it confused her and was one of the few things in her life she was unprepared for.

It would just complicate things.

"hey KP?" Kim was snapped from her thoughts by the strong hand gently gripping her shoulder.

Ron did not notice how Kim struggled not to grip his hand and throw him over the wall, luckily for the young man she controlled the knee jerk reaction.

Kim smiled brightly at the man in his blood and grime covered armour who grinned back at her with his carefree smile, despite being the man who had the lives of a good three hundred men counting upon him.

"got us a loaf of bread from the cooks and a skin of wine, care to share?" Ron asked producing a small sack and sat down upon the wall with his legs dangling over the edge "one of the perks of being in command it seems. Though it doesn't hurt that I ordered every one of the men to get a cup of wine" with a quick hand movement Ron unclasped his chest plate with the abdominals sculpted into it and dropped the dirty thing to the wall beside him.

Kim sat down beside Ron as he took a swig from the flask "dinner and a view. My, my commander you truly know how to treat a woman" Kim smiled as she took a savage bite out of the loaf of bread and followed it down with downing half the wine ignoring Ron's agape mouth.

The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon bathing the country side in a warm glow. The dew that collected upon the new shoots of green grass that had already begun to push through the blackened ground, shone like a glittering sea of stars.

"Beautiful" Ron whispered eyes still locked upon Kim.

"yes my mother would love to paint this landscape. Even the barbarian bodies would make a nice contrast to the natural beauty of the world"

Ron finally looked out at the landscape with a small sigh. He realised it seemed to be dull in comparison to the woman who sat not a foot away from him. A woman who had fought and bled along side him in the heat of battle. This was the one female not of blood relation that he could openly speak to and make eye contact with. A great friend, perhaps more.

Ron laid back against the unyielding stone with a grunt of disgust at his own confused feelings and stared up at the fading stars. Two stars caught his eye, one a deep red and another a sharp blue. Both hung upon the great canvass of the sky separated by the crescent moon.

"fitting" Ron grunted as he glared upwards at the stars.

Kim eyed the empty wine flask with confusion then cast it aside and searched for the bread which was currently scampering away upon two pink legs. Apparently Rufus was hungry as well.

Kim giggled at the sight then laid against Ron's belly causing a small "eep" of surprise. Kim's giggles continued for a number of minutes until she fell asleep atop of her commanding officers abdominals, her head slowly rising and falling with his breathing.

"light weight" Barkin's voice rumbled from close by startling Ron slightly. Barkin was dirty, unshaven with blood shot and red rimmed eyes but still held an aurora of power around him that seemed to soak into Ron even as he lay with a beautiful woman upon him.

Fully armoured, so with more clothing than he would like.

Barkin did not look at Ron as he stood with his leg propped atop of a battlement "you performed well, Stoppable just like I knew you would. No commander I know of in Rome could have pulled off what you just did. Unorthodox tactics for an unorthodox leader. It was brilliant to see. I knew you could handle it"

Ron's hand lightly brushed against Kim's soft hair absentmindedly "God does not give us more than we might handle, but I just wish he did not trust me so much sir"

Barkin smiled softly, it was a facial movement that seemed to become easier to perform as he smiled. Strangely enough Ron found himself reciprocating the smile both smile broadened when Kim let out a delicate hiccup in her sleep.

"that lass is a strong one. A good find" Ron's eyed nearly popped out of his head such was his shock.

"you don't get as old as I am by being fooled by costumes. I'm an old man boy but I am also a old study in the way a woman walks. Damn good fighter too. Better than her father when we served together"

Ron shifted slightly and stared up at the lightening sky "what do we do now sir? We are the only force between the barbarian nations and Roman soil"

Barkin finally turned towards the younger man "what would you do then lad? Knowing all the facts you do now? This town is nearly indefensible with the number of men at our disposal and we are all but out of provisions but remember that it would be classed as a loss if we were to return to Rome now even to replenish our strength"

Ron was silent for a moment before he spoke "more men should not have to die for something that is long dead. This army is still a threat but not as much as it once was, we escape from here and get back to Rome as fast as we can, I accept all responsibility and then send an entire legion to wipe out these animals"

"sounds like a grand plan, little Roman. A shame it will never happen" an icy cold feminine voice slithered from nearby causing Ron to feel sick to his core. A thick spear tip burst through the centre of Barkins broad chest, it glistened with blood as Barkin stared down at the offending object then hissed in pain as he was hoisted into the air by the shaft. A massive blue skinned barbarian held the spear and the impaled man high like a gruesome trophy laughing the entire time, closing his eyes to enjoy the hot blood splashing down upon his face as once would enjoy cooling rain.

Shego stood beside the giant Drakken, trailing her finger tips lovingly up and down his rib cage every movement that the talons made parted flesh drawing trickles of blood which the huge man did not seem to notice.

Ron stood quickly drawing his ever present sword, rousing the drunken Kim from her slumber. Groggily she began to sit up, her eyes could not focus nor make sense of the present situation nor were they given the chance as Ron slammed the pommel of the gladius against the side of her head, knocking her back into unconsciousness.

"that was not very nice, little Roman" Shego tsked waving her finger in the air at Ron who stood ready for battle, sword poised to strike.

"come a little closer witch and I will show you how nasty I can be" Ron challenged the raven haired woman who laughed at him.

"now why would I do that? You don't have a dog and chase the rabbit yourself" on cue Drakken swung the spear that still impaled Barkin down at Ron nearly sending him crashing over the wall as Ron leapt back to avoid the gruesome weapon.

Barkin's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water for a moment or two as he gripped the spear shaft protruding from him with his large calloused hands. His eyes were wide in surprise and pain for a moment before hardening with hatred at the laughter coming from the woman below him.

Sucking in a deep breath from between clenched teeth barkin let out a bellow that caused every soldier in the camp the bolt upright to attention no matter what they were currently doing, such was the integrated fear of his voice derived from hundreds of hours of parading with Barkin screaming at them.

"LEGIONARES! FIGHT FOR ROME! FOR HONOUR!"

The morning sun shone upon the figures on the wall outlining the terrible scene to the soldiers who without a moments hesitation rushed towards the father of their legion.

Cries of anguish rang out as they witnessed the massive ogre holding him aloft flick his wrist and cast Barkin off the point of the spear sending him crashing thirty feet to the unforgiving ground.

With a cry of anguish Ron stepped forward trying in vain to reach his doomed mentor before he plummeted but was met with a fist to the gut from Drakken driving all the air from the young commanders lungs and dropping him to his knees. A swift knee to the face broke the young mans nose and knocked him out cold.

Shego looked down with contempt at the unconscious Kim as Drakken hoisted the unconscious Ron up onto his shoulder.

"do we want that one too mistress?" Drakken queried, plucking a javelin out of the air as it came hurtling towards his woman.

Shego turned her back on him and the approaching army to strut to the edge of the wall the two had climbed "bring her as well, the men will need some entertainment after that battle and I do not believe the Romans will have the spirit to attack us" shego stepped out into thin air and landed as lithely as a cat upon her feet and continued to casually walk towards her camp even as Drakken slammed into the ground on tree trunk like legs carrying the two Roman hostages. Both seemed oblivious to the Roman javelins and arrows raining down around them.

Curses and groans echoed from every Roman throat as their commander and his right hand man (in a sense) were spirited away. None heard the last words to hiss from centurion Steven Barkin's lips.

"for love…"

**I'm a cliff hanger whore I know sorry guys. Hope you enjoy it as much as you usually do so far all I am getting is positive reviews and I know I'm an evil author killing off so many characters but I find it spices up things a little bit even though I personally hate reading stories where every one gets messed up. Hypocrisy is my thing ****J so as always. Read and review (thank you to the two that do).**

**Bushy **


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